Publication Information

Abstract

A method to analyze the performance of ultimate heat sink cooling ponds is
presented. A simple mathematical model of a cooling pond is used to scan
weather data to determine the period of the record for which the most adverse
pond temperature or rate of evaporation would occur. Once the most adverse
conditions have been determined, the peak pond temperature can be calculated.
Several simple mathematical models of ponds are described; these could be used
to determine peak pond temperature, using the identified meteorological
record. Evaporative water loss may be found directly from the scanning by a
simple and conservative heat-and-material balance.

Methodology by which short periods of onsite data can be compared with longer
offsite records is developed, so that the adequacy of the offsite data for
pond performance computations can be established.